This could of course be correlation rather than causation — maybe the kind of person who likes fiction is more empathic to start with — but the researchers think not. They believe that there's something about exposure to fiction — the direct immersion in another person's mind and body — that stimulates our empathic muscles.

So while it's entirely possible for fiction lovers to be shy and appear to lack some social skills, it's also possible that they've developed a great ability to empathize with others that isn't entirely apparent. If you're a bit shy and love to read fiction, the good news is that you might be more socially adept than you realize.